Lost Memphis: Poco Taco

Fast-food restaurants come and go, and Memphis has certainly had its share of Mexican eateries, but for a few years a little place called Poco Taco offered some of the best Mexican food in town. That’s just my opinion, but I’m sticking with it.

The building itself was certainly distinctive. I’m not saying it was architecturally accurate; I’m afraid any Mexicans who drove past might be horrified by the design. But it was certainly hard to miss the bright yellow (later orange) stucco exterior, the sweeping curve of that roofline, and the arched window that stretched across the front.

The food was your usual south-of-the-border fare: tacos, burritos, tortillas, enchiladas and other variations that combined corn shells, flour tortillas, beans, ground beef, and cheese. But the sauce was really special, with an indescribable flavor that I can only describe as ... indescribable.

Poco Taco opened on Park in the late 1960s, and soon after another location opened its door on Summer. Both places were out of business just ten years later. The unusual buildings have survived, with some alterations. The Park location is now home to Tennessee Title Loans, and the Summer location now houses the Animal Emergency Center.

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Vance Lauderdale

Ask Vance is the blog of Vance Lauderdale, the award-winning columnist of Memphis magazine and Inside Memphis Business. Vance is the author of three books: Ask Vance: The Best Questions and Answers from Memphis Magazine’s History and Trivia Expert (2003), as well as Ask Vance: More Questions and Answers from Memphis Magazine’s History Expert (2011) and Vance Lauderdale’s Lost Memphis (2013). He is also the recipient of quite a few nice awards, the creator of several eye-catching wall calendars, and the only person we know with a vintage shock-treatment machine in his den.